


Standing Outside the Fire

by katwithak32



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Healing, Nightmares, Pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:15:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24416467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katwithak32/pseuds/katwithak32
Summary: Zuko can’t get over how he got his scar. He thought that he had but he was wrong. Years later, he’s finally engaged to the woman of his dreams and it’s all going great, until he sleeps.I might add more chapters. I’m a ho for a good angsty/sad man. Enjoy!
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 42





	Standing Outside the Fire

**Author's Note:**

> I might make this a multi chaptered work please let me know your opinion!

“Breath.”

“Relax.”

“You can do this.”

“You’re the crown prince of the Fire Nation.”

“You are unstoppable.”

He kept repeating this to himself over and over again. Hoping to make himself believe it. He was just minutes away from the agni kai that he would be forced to participate in.

“Just a general.”

“I am the son of the fire lord.”

“Breath.”

“Relax.”

Just a boy. And yet here he stood. About to fight an elite fire bender, all on his own. Fear struck his heart. But the only thing that was stronger than that fear was his sense of pride, and his sense of honor. He knew what was right. The fire nation was a great nation, and they would not be able to share their greatness if the fire nation were tainted by sacrificing new, unprepared, young recruits. Just a boy. And yet here he stood. About to fight an elite fire bender, all on his own, to fight and prove to the world, the fire nation, and himself, that he knew right from wrong, better than this hot headed, ruthless, general. 

“You’re the crown prince of the Fire Nation.”

“You are unstoppable.”

“Prince Zuko” The raspy voice of his uncle interupted his thought process. “It is time. You are ready.” Zuko simply grunted at the old man, and turned to walk into the room where he would face his enemy. 

Everything was dark, and bright at the same time. The large room was filled with all of the highest ranking members of their society, generals, admirals, friends, family. A stark contrast was reated from the cromson insignia and decirations against the jet black interior. The room was deathly quiet and all the boy could hear was breathing, and someones heart pounding. He took a few steps and discovered it was his heart. His pulse was bounding, the air began to rush from his lungs.

“Relax.”

“You are unstoppable.” He thought to himself and began to calm again. Thats when his challenger stepped forward into the ring. The dark hood cut off all ability to identfy. But Zuko knew. The general could not hide himself from the son of the fire lord. 

“Face me!” Zuko yelled, his voice straining as he mustered all of his courage into those words. He felt alive,and powerful, and ready to take on the wolrd. But no matter how powerful he felt, he was not ready to take on what lay before him. 

“You DARE command me? The FIRE LORD!” The man tore off the black hooded robe that was concealing his identity, and suddenly Zuko could no longer breath. It felt as though water was rushing through his ears. He could not udnerstand what was happening before him. Just a boy. And yet here he stood. Facing his father, the worlds most powerful fire bender. Alone.

“Father, no, please, I thought that i was to duel the general. I meant you no disrespect. Father, please!” Zuko pleaded with his father as his heart raced, fear festering itself in every crevice of his mind. He looked around and saw evil smiles painted on the faces around him, all except one. Iroh looked as though he had been shot by a bold of lightning, and taken it straight through his own heart.

“By disrespecting one of MY generals, in MY war room, you have disrespected ME! You will face ME!” The fire lord commanded. Zuko, just a boy, took one look at his uncle, and one look at his father. 

“I will not fight you father.”

“If you will not fight, there is only one way to teach you honor boy! You must Suf-” Zuko could not hear the end of that last word, he would not hear the laughs of many around him, or see their snickering faces, he could not see Iroh weep, all he could see was white, white hot flame licked at the sensitive skin around his face. He could only hear the steam as the water in the air evaporated from the intense heat being applied to his face. He could only feel the intense heat hitting him harder than any pain hed ever felt. Fiery, and burning worse than any burn he’d ever had. And deep, so deep that he felt his own heart break. 

Then, there was nothing.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Zuko screamed as he sat straight upright in bed. Looking around and taking in his surroundings, He was in a large, wooden room, warm, but not hot. There was a light breeze. It was not totally dark the sun was in the east, just about to poke up over the horrizon. 

“Ugh!” He yelled in frustration as he felt his tears begin to roll down his cheeks once more. He’d had this dream, and relived this nightmare over, and over, and over, and over again. It hurt just the same every time. It felt totally real, every time. He tentatively reached up and felt his eye, still scarred, but not burning. 

“Zuko!” A soft female voice came from the door as it was pushed open.

“No! No father, please leave me alone!” He yelled as he got out of his bed and got into a fighting stance, protecting his face from the inferno he was sure would hit him at any minute. 

“Zuko, honey, it was just a bad dream.” The woman continued. “Please look at me. I wont hurt you. I promise. It’s me, Zuko. Your fiancé. Just talk to me.” Slowly, Zuko let down his defenses and gave in. 

“Katara, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I can’t, I can’t shake these dreams. But I really don’t want you to see me like this. Please. Please just leave me alone.” He covered his face and turned. He had lived most of his life in shame, chasing his honor. He would not give up his pride for his father. Again. He could feel her there. Staring. He knew she just wanted to comfort him. This wasn’t the first time that she had witnessed him after a nightmare. But this was definitely the worst. 

“Zuko. Please talk to me.” Katara pleaded. “I can tell that you’re hurting. Let me help you.” 

“No Katara, please. I can’t let you see me like this.” He was breaking and he could feel it. This was the most vivid that his nightmares had become in a very long time. He dropped to his knees and sobbed. He buried his face in his knees and covered himself with his arms. 

“I’m not leaving you, Zuko. You shouldn’t deal with this alone.” She rushed over and knelt beside him. Wrapping her arms around him. Trying her best to hold him together. 

“Kat-Kat-Katara, I-I just don’t want you to think badly of me. I should be over this.” He continued to break down. The dam had broken and his emotions were running rampant. “I just can’t shake him. And I can’t get over it.” They day there for a long time, Katara rubbing soothing circles in the skin of Zukos back. Kissing his hair, his cheeks, his temples. She squeezed him tightly and he held on for dear life as he let the sobs wrack through his tired body. Slowly, his sobs slowed to sniffles and he started to relax in her arms. 

“Zuko, hey, will you look at me now?” She reached down and turned his face to face her. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing. What he did to you was horrible. And you never got the chance to really heal from it. Of course you’re going to hurt. But I’m here, and I love you. I won’t think any less of you. Even the Fire Lord needs to be vulnerable sometimes.” His golden eyes were still full of water, and pain. He was still hurting. But he nodded.

“Thank you, Katara. I will never understand why the spirits have you to me, but I am eternally grateful.” He kissed her and wrapped his arms around her. They just sat there on the floor for awhile, enjoying the sound of each other’s heart beats. 

“Are you ready to go get some breakfast?” Katara said as she stood and put her hand out for Zuko. He took it and stood up. Wiping the remnants of his nightmare off of his face.

“I will. I’m going to get washed up first. Meet you down there?” He leaned in and kissed her nose and turned to go to the washroom. Once in the bathroom he looked in the mirror and winced, his scar would never become something that he could look at without remembering the trauma. His own father had permanently marked him. It was big and red and angry. But Katara was not afraid of it. And through her, he was learning to love himself a little more every day. Whether it be to not hate his scar, or to not blame himself for others choices. One day at a time, he was healing.

**Author's Note:**

> Again considering adding chapters. Please let me know if you’d like to see more.


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